Alumni Spotlight: Adam Stewart

Adam Stewart, a University of Westminster alum, is the Communications and Travel Trade Manager at Yakima Valley Tourism. His passion for marketing and travel was sparked by study abroad experiences in Australia and an internship in Ireland, which set him on a successful career path in the industry. Adam believes that being well-traveled — whether at home or abroad — is key to understanding destinations. With a diverse background in international education and hospitality, he encourages students to step outside their comfort zones, embrace new experiences and seize every opportunity to learn. Want to connect with Adam? Add him on LinkedIn! 

What inspired you to pursue your field of study or career path? What tips would you share with students who are interested in pursuing a career in your field? 

I always knew I wanted to do marketing from an early age. I loved the “why” behind how things worked and what made people make decisions. Then, I started to explore the world a bit more, doing a study abroad program in Australia and an internship in Ireland. After that, I began working in more hospitality-related and travel industry jobs, so more of my focus became about travel and tourism. Living abroad in London during my master’s program cemented my passion to work in travel and tourism. It took a long time to figure it out, but it’s been so amazing to work in my industry. People usually stay in travel and tourism for a long time. One tip I’d give to students wanting to get into this industry is to be well traveled. That can even be in your hometown, but you need to know how travel works and really know a destination well. Travel encompasses a lot of different components, and it’s helpful if you have experienced some of those things. 

Were there any specific courses or experiences during your college years that were particularly impactful? What role did internships or part-time jobs play in your career development? 

My time abroad in Australia was impactful and made a huge impression on my career choices after undergrad. That set me off on a path to want to experience more of the world before graduating, so after I got back, I did an internship in Ireland. These experiences gave me the courage and confidence to be more assertive in applying for certain jobs or just utilizing the skills I had gained. My job in student recruitment and international education really taught me the most. I am very appreciative of the time I spent in that role, but I would have never gotten it without the internship I did in Ireland. There are so many things that you can do in marketing, so it helps to have knowledge in certain areas that you want to focus on. All of my experiences through traveling abroad, working in hospitality and international education put me in a great place to be where I am today. 

What advice would you give to current college students? Anything you wish you knew then that you know now? 

I would say travel as much as you can and as far as you can. Really try to get outside of your comfort zone and make experiences that will last a lifetime. There are opportunities to gain a lot of skills traveling and living abroad. Go and talk to your study abroad counselor, and see what programs they have available. 

What were some challenges you faced after graduation? How did you overcome them? 

Some challenges I faced were not being able to find a job right away, or at least not knowing where to look because marketing is very general, and there’s not a specific focus, really. I had to make sure to explore different opportunities, so I just did different jobs that helped give me the experience I needed. If places weren’t hiring but I knew they needed help with marketing, I just reached out to offer my skills in exchange for experience. You just have to find out what you want to do and put yourself in the right position to be able to do it. 

What do you like to do for fun when you’re not working? How do you ensure you have a good work-life balance?

I love to explore the outdoors. I enjoy trying new restaurants, wineries and breweries. I love playing and watching sports as well. I love to travel and explore different countries. My work doesn’t feel like work sometimes, because I get to do a lot of these things for work as well. I’d say one thing I do is turn off my work email when I’m off. That’s hugely important and helps me have a good work-life balance.